The present invention concerns a float with an automatic triggering device for a fishing apparatus having an inner sleeve which can be inserted into a float housing in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the float housing in opposition to the pressure of a tensioning spring and which is held in the inserted state by a detent pawl mounted for rotation to the float housing, wherein the detent pawl can be locked in this position by a contact lever mounted via a rotation axis to the float housing and the locking can be released through deflection of the contact lever in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the float housing, wherein a fishing line is fed through the inner sleeve and connected to a driver element, disposed above the inner sleeve, in such a fashion that the inner sleeve, during motion out of the inserted locked position into the original position and with the assistance of the driver element, pulls along the fishing line and a fishing hook attached to the fishing line.
A float of this kind is known in the art from DE-GM 78 24 353.
Fishing devices are utilized for competitive and recreational fishing which have a float connected to the fishing line disposed on the surface of the water. A fish biting the bait disposed on the fishing hook pulls the fishing hook and therefore the fishing line in a downward direction so that the diving motion of the float signals the fisherman that a fish has bitten. In order to be able to safely remove the fish from the water, the end of the fishing line must be pulled which can be effected by shortening the fishing line, i.e. by a jerked retraction of the fishing line. In conventional fishing devices the fisherman himself must assure that the jerked retraction of the fishing line occurs at that instant when the fish bites the bait.
The conventional float therefore has an automatic triggering device which effects an automatic jerked retraction of the fishing line after the fish bites on the bait. This is achieved in the conventional float by a spring sleeve insertable into a housing in opposition to the pressure of a tensioning spring and held by a detent pawl.
When a fish bites, the fishing line is pulled downwardly by the fishing hook so that a first driver element connected to the fishing line moves a contact sleeve, displaceable within the spring sleeve, against the contact lever and the dentent pawl frees a shoulder on the spring sleeve to release the locking. The contact lever must thereby be moved against a compression spring. After release, the spring sleeve moves, by means of the spring force of the tensioning spring, in the upward direction out of the float housing and likewise moves, by means of a second driver element, the contact housing out of the float housing so that the fishing line is also pulled in an upward direction via the first driver element to effect jerked retraction of the fishing line.
Disadvantageously, the pulling by the fish on the fishing line does not directly act on the automatic triggering mechanism. Movement of the fishing hook initially results in a displacement of the contact sleeve to bring the contact lever into a triggering position. Since the contact sleeve is guided within the spring sleeve, motion of the contact sleeve requires overcoming a non-negligible amount of friction. The frictional force to be overcome is increased even more by the fact that the float is located in water and is subject to soiling.
There is the additional disadvantage that the detent pawl has a right-angled shape, has a pivot axis in the middle of the two perpendicular legs, and the end of one of the legs seats in the vicinity of the pivot axis of the contact lever. A large deflection of the contact lever against a compression spring is therefore necessary to unlock the detent pawl for release of the spring sleeve.
Since the pulling force on the fishing hook is transferred via the spring bushing onto the contact bushing and then via the contact bushing onto the fishing hook, an indirect pulling action for retracting the fishing line is effected having reduced pulling force. The pulling force acting on the fishing hook is reduced to a further extent, since the spring and contact sleeves of the conventional float are located in water during use, are movable with respect to each other, and are therefore subject to frictional forces and soiling.
There is the additional disadvantage that the triggering mechanism of the conventional float allows for no adjustment of play for deflection of the fishing hook by the fish so that the triggering mechanism does not respond immediately when the fishing hook is pulled.
In addition, the triggering force of the triggering mechanism of the conventional float cannot be adjusted which would be advantageous for fish of different sizes.